It was an odd sort of weekend. Luckily I knew it was Saturday on Saturday morning, so I did manage to teach the couple of lessons scheduled for then. But by lunchtime I suddenly became convinced it was Sunday, in which case today would have happened yesterday instead of today, no, that is not making things any clearer.
Anyway, I am fairly certain today is really Monday, so things should proceed at normal level of disorganisation instead of abnormal levels.
Yesterday, Sunday, the real Sunday, was a bit of a a washout. It poured most of the day; I went out as rescued the seedlings which were drowning in puddles of water in the cold frame. Setting the little pots on trays is a good idea except when it rains and the trays become puddles. With all this warm and muggy and rainy weather (Saturday, Sunday and today have all had at least their fair quota of rain so far) the garden is exploding into life - where once was bare earth is now a luxuriant carpet of weeds, safe from my hostile attentions because I am a strictly fair-weather gardener.
So what has been happening here in Happy Vale? Knitting. Lots, bordering on too much, so I may need to give it a rest before I do wrists, fingers and arms a damage. I am knitting a sort of poncho-type-thing based on a friend's. Her's has been made from two pieces of extremely textured pieces, knitted in thickish aran-weight 'wool' (acrylic). Each piece is 30 inches by 20 inches (multiply by 2.54 if you need centimetres). When finished, you sew them together like this;
Further complications arose when I discovered that I measured* the first piece wrong - the 30 inch side is only 27 inches. I'll sort that out later when I've finished the second piece. And more complications - I as using a 'cake' of yarn that I had bought for something else and then decided I don't like the colours enough for what I thought I was going to make (whatever that was - I've forgotten) but then discovered that there was not enough in the 'cake' so I thought I'd buy another, and found that there wasn't any more of that particular colour, so I bought something similar in another brand, which looks the same in the description but knits up slightly thinner...
oh, you must know this scenario - a whole series of compromises and bodges and 'it will probably be ok...
* guessed. A close guess - 27 inches, but not close enough.
I'm also fighting a strange urge to knit a Summer-weight cosy for my teapot. The Fair-isle, pure wool is to warm and cosy I worry about my tea over-heating when the weather gets warmer, and besides, the colours are more 'Winter' than 'Summer'. Yes, I know, knitting a 'cool' cosy for my tea-pot does sound mad. I worry about myself sometimes.
Now, technical note for anyone who hates doing rib, like me; I have found a way to halve your pain if it is not vital to have the stretchiness;
If you look closely at the band of cream knitting above the yarn cake, you might be able to see it looks like ribbing, but is actually alternate bands of Knit, on the right side, and K1P1 rib on the wrong side. There is a narrow band of Knit on the right side and K2P2 on the wrong side in blue above the bottom cream stripe. Looks ok to me.
Himself went to see about having a hair cut today - first since before Christmas. He reappeared looking a Changed Man. The barbers, conveniently placed beside the corner shop, said that they had been inundated by customers when they first opened but the rush has dwindled to a steady trickle.
Well, we are not rushing out to book tables in restaurants, meet up at the pub, or any other indoor social activity any time very soon. We have a dentist appointment booked for June - scaree for all kinds of reasons, not the least what he will find gone wrong with our teeth. The need for a visit to the opticians is becoming apparent - these glasses have done me well for two years but reading the music and small print is more of an effort now than before. Come September I am supposed to be going to London for a clinic appointment - who knows what the situation will be then? I'm not going to worry about it now.
Apparently it is lovely and warm outside, so I'm going right now, before it starts raining again.
Which century is it? We know the problem! Our student did not attend then texted to say that she lost track of the days- she is 16! So much for smartphones. Wet here too, about 5 days of drizzle interspersed with torrential rain.
ReplyDeleteKnitting, I used to do that. No time now, concertina practice fills my spare moments. Anna says it is working, and dont be despondent. After 6 years I should be better? She says the same, but its nearer 40!